Alzheimer's Patch - Hope or hype?

By: Stephen Gauss

Could an Alzheimer's patch be the new big thing in Alzheimer's treatment?

I just read a news story from ABC News about the availability of a new delivery method for Alzheimer's medication.

The proposed delivery system is from Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp. and was expected to be out by the end of 1996. The company proposes to deliver the drug Exelon via a transdermal patch, that is the drug will be absorbed through the patient's skin instead of taken orally.

Exelon was on the market as an oral medication at the time the original news piece was written so has already passed FDA approval. The new delivery system may decrease certain side effects seen with the pill form such as sickness to the stomach and throwing up.

Since the patch can be applied once a day the patient would not have to remember to take multiple doses of medicine which can be a barrier for anyone affected with the illness.

I do not know if the patch has been approved but I would like to hear from anyone who has heard yet. If you know anything about this you can let me know on the forum at http://www.alzheimers-forum.com/forum and I would greatly appreciate it.

The original story can be found at http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/Health/story?id=2213116 as of 2007/05/30.

Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp. has an impressive pharmaceutical division which operates in neuroscience, respiratory, cardiovascular, and dermatology as well as other areas. For more information on their pharmaceutical division you can visit their site at http://www.novartis.com/about-novartis/our-businesses/pharmaceuticals.shtml on the internet.

I am in no way affiliated with ABC News or Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp.

Stephen Gauss maintains alzheimers-forum.com - a web site devoted to support resources for the families of those affected with Alzheimer's disease. The latest news can be found at http://www.alzheimers-forum.com/news.html along with other resources on the site.

This is a review of an article about the Alzheimer's patch that I read on the web and a little information about the company working on the patch.